This is really helpful to hear from someone who went through the exact same situation! It's reassuring that your caseworker was actually supportive of you documenting everything properly. I think I was overthinking this whole thing and getting stressed about it when really the system is designed to protect people from having to take inappropriate jobs. Thanks for sharing your experience - it makes me feel much more confident about handling this the right way.

That's exactly what I needed to hear! I was getting really anxious about this whole situation, but you're right - the system is actually designed to protect us from taking jobs that aren't appropriate. The fact that your caseworker was supportive really gives me confidence that I'm approaching this correctly. I'll definitely keep all the documentation about the low salary offer and be straightforward about it on my weekly claim. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience - it really helps to know someone else went through the same thing successfully!

Welcome to the community, Jamal! Your $75k salary should definitely put you in a good position for benefits - you're right that you'll probably land somewhere in that $700-800 range rather than the full maximum. Just to add to what others have said about the 1099 work - it won't help your benefit calculation, but make sure you understand the reporting requirements if you continue doing any freelance work while collecting. You'll need to report all earnings on your weekly claims, and there's a specific formula they use to reduce your benefits based on what you earn. One thing I'd suggest is creating an account on the Washington ESD website before you actually need to file - it can save time later and you can access tools like the wage history lookup to double-check what earnings they have on file for you. Sometimes employers make reporting errors that can affect your benefit amount. The Claimyr recommendation is solid - I used it myself when I had questions about my base period calculation and it was worth every penny to actually talk to someone who could explain the specifics of my situation. Way better than the endless busy signals! Best of luck with both the claim process and your job search in marketing. The benefits should definitely help take some pressure off while you find your next role.

Welcome to the community, Jamal! Your situation sounds very similar to what I went through recently. With a $75k salary, you should definitely qualify for a solid benefit amount - probably right in that range you estimated. Just to add some practical advice - when you file your claim, make sure you have your most recent pay stubs handy. Sometimes there can be delays if Washington ESD needs to verify your wages with your employer, so having documentation ready can help speed things up. Regarding the 1099 consulting work, unfortunately that won't boost your benefit calculation since only W-2 wages count toward your base period. But definitely keep track of any ongoing freelance income because you'll need to report it on your weekly claims if you continue doing consulting work while collecting benefits. One thing I learned from this thread is to really pay attention to your monetary determination letter when you get it. It will show exactly which quarters they used and how they calculated your benefit amount. If something looks off, you can appeal within 30 days. Hope your job search in marketing goes well! The benefits should definitely help take some of the stress off while you're looking for the right opportunity.

Hey Muhammad! Welcome to the community! Your $92k salary should definitely put you in great shape for a high benefit amount - you'll likely be very close to that $999 maximum. The good news about your October raise is that Washington ESD automatically evaluates both the standard base period and the alternate base period, then uses whichever one gives you the higher benefit. Since your raise was so recent, there's a very good chance they'll use the alternate base period to capture those higher quarterly earnings, which should work in your favor. I had a similar situation where I got a big promotion partway through the year and was worried about the timing. When I filed, they ended up using the alternate base period and my weekly benefit was much higher than I initially calculated. The key thing is to review your monetary determination letter carefully when you get it - make sure the quarterly wages they're showing match up with your actual pay history. The job search requirements really are manageable once you get into a routine. I count networking calls, updating my resume, LinkedIn activity, and of course actual applications. Three activities per week is totally doable, especially when you're actively job hunting anyway. Tech layoffs are unfortunately pretty common right now, but having solid unemployment benefits should give you the financial cushion to be strategic about your next move instead of feeling pressured to take the first offer. Good luck with your claim!

Hey Muhammad! Welcome to the community! Your $92k salary should definitely put you close to the maximum benefit amount. The good news is that Washington ESD automatically checks both the standard and alternate base periods and uses whichever gives you the higher benefit - you don't need to request it separately. Since your October raise was so recent, they'll very likely use the alternate base period to capture those higher earnings. I had a similar situation with a mid-year promotion and ended up getting much more than I initially expected because they used the more recent quarters. When you get your monetary determination letter, just make sure the quarterly wages match your actual pay history. If something looks off, that's when Claimyr becomes really valuable for getting through to discuss your specific situation. The tech market is tough right now with all the layoffs, but having solid benefits should give you breathing room to find the right opportunity rather than feeling rushed to take any offer. Good luck with your claim!

I completely understand that panic about rent - I'm in the exact same situation! From what I've gathered reading through everyone's responses, it seems like the secure message option might be worth trying alongside calling. Some people have mentioned it takes 7-10 business days to get a response through eServices, but at least you have a paper trail that way. I'm planning to do both when I hit my 4-week mark - submit the secure message first, then follow up with a phone call a few days later referencing the message. That way if the phone lines are impossible to get through, I still have the escalation request officially submitted. As for confirmation, it sounds like most people only got confirmation when they spoke to someone directly on the phone rather than through the online system.

This is such an important point about the consecutive weeks requirement! I had no idea that missing even one week would reset the count. I'm currently on week 3 and have been filing consistently, but this makes me realize I need to be extra careful not to miss any deadlines. Quick question - when you called at 8:00 AM on Tuesday/Wednesday, did you use the main 833-572-8400 number? And did you have to wait long to get through, or was the early timing really effective? I'm trying to plan my strategy for when I hit the 4-week mark next week. Also really encouraging to hear that once your escalation was approved, it only took 8 business days to see movement - gives me hope that there's light at the end of this tunnel!

Great question! From what I understand, if your employer contests your claim after you've already been approved and receiving benefits, Washington ESD will do another investigation. During that review period, you typically continue receiving benefits while they sort it out - they don't just cut you off immediately. If they ultimately rule against you after the contest, then yes, you might have to pay back benefits you received (that's called an overpayment), but if their decision stands in your favor, you keep everything. The key is being completely honest in your initial application so there are no surprises later. Most employers who are going to contest do it right away though, not weeks into your claim. Given that you were told it was "not being a good fit" rather than misconduct, you should definitely apply - that sounds exactly like the type of situation unemployment benefits are designed for!

Emily, you're definitely not alone in missing that questionnaire! It seems like this is happening to so many people based on all the stories in this thread. The fact that you found it within 10 days is actually pretty good timing compared to some others here. I'm crossing my fingers that you'll see the same quick resolution that Angel did once you submit that form. Keep us posted on how it goes - these success stories really help keep everyone's spirits up during what is honestly one of the most stressful experiences you can go through. And definitely keep checking that message center weekly from now on, just in case they send any follow-up questions!

I'm so glad this thread found you before you missed anything critical, Elijah! Week 3 is still early compared to some of the horror stories here, so hopefully you'll see movement soon. The fact that you're now aware of the message center issue puts you ahead of where most of us were at that point. I'm also going through this process (week 4 now) and this community has been a lifesaver for navigating ESD's confusing system. Definitely keep checking that message center weekly and stay on top of your weekly claims. Fingers crossed we both see positive updates soon! This thread really shows how much we all need to support each other through this broken system.